Consumer Reports tests best gas grills for summer

Grilling season is well underway but if you're in the market to buy one now, Consumer Reports has just finished testing and has found some real winners.

After testing dozens of gas grills, Consumer Reports has a number of great ones to recommend.

If you're looking to add more sizzle to your style, Consumer Reports put well over a hundred gas grills through the paces.

In one test, therma-couples measure surface temperatur, to see if a grill has hot or cold spots. This translates into how evenly two burgers cook on different parts of the same grill.

"Some weren't so hot, but we did find plenty of good options. Particularly among medium-sized grills, which are the most popular. They typically hold about two dozen burgers," said Dan DiClerico of Consumer Reports.

This $600 Weber Spirit, available at hardware stores, is the top-rated mid-sized grill.

But Weber is getting a run for its money from Kenmore.

With an LED control panel, built-in lights, a side-burner and impressive cooking performance, for $950 the Kenmore Elite from Sears offers solid construction.

Consumer Reports also recommends this $370 Better Homes and Gardens grill from Walmart.

"You do get a lot of features for the money. It's got the stainless steel grates, it comes with the rotisserie and there's this sliding tank tray, which makes it a lot easier to change the gas," said DiClerico.

Plus, it has the side burner and it's an excellent performer in several cooking tests, which means you're off to a good start even if you're on a budget.

The one thing Consumer Reports cautions about with the Better Homes and Garden grill is the burner warranty, which is only five years.

Burners are the most often replaced grill part and can be an indicator of how long you can expect a grill to last.

The Kenmore Elite, on the other hand, has a generous 15-year burner warranty.

Looking for more grill-buying advice? Click here for the full report from Consumer Reports.